


deception and reverence

by dotpyenji



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Gift Giving, Pining, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dotpyenji/pseuds/dotpyenji
Summary: Alex and Elly visit a town.A fic for a trade with @dhelmise on Twitter!
Relationships: Alex/Elisanne (Dragalia Lost)
Kudos: 12





	deception and reverence

Through the antique shop’s window, Alex could clearly see the plush rabbit. Mounted on a marble pedestal like a sacred statue, it had velveteen fur in a comforting, familiar shade of yellow, and doleful, reddish-pink eyes that seemed to peer into one’s very soul.

It was a carbon copy of Matilda, save for the color. No doubt a certain Paladyn would find this plush most endearing.

Alex squinted. One hand instinctively pressed upon the window; the glass was warm from the afternoon’s sunshine. The plush seemed to stare back at her, the pedestal but one piece of furniture among many. Tables, chairs and wardrobes of all makes and sizes were displayed all around the shop. Yet the plush seemed to stand out, illuminated by a nearby candle.

Twenty thousand rupies; that’s the price the old shopkeeper had given her the last time she had dropped by. Alex had flinched when first told the price—one could buy out the fruits and vegetables section of the local market with that much money—but she still worked hard and saved up. Tucked in a secret pocket of her cloak was a wallet weighed down with more than enough coins to buy Matilda a new friend.

That’s how she would pitch it to Elly, at least. This bunny would not be a replacement, but a companion to a companion. A friend to keep Matilda company in the closet while Elly was away from her room.

And besides, didn’t Elly love things like these? Soft ears, plush fur, rabbit-themed paraphernalia. The plush toy would make the perfect gift. Alex could almost see Elisanne’s eyes light up, a radiant smile brighter than the very sun spilling forth—

“Alex?”

Alex turned to see Elisanne at her side, arms crossed, pink eyes peering curiously through the window. She stifled a gasp.

How did Alex fail to hear Elly’s heels against the street or the Paladyn’s approaching reflection? Perhaps she was getting rusty. Or too comfortable.

“What are you looking at?” cooed Elisanne. A stray lock of golden hair stuck out from her bangs; the sweet sunshine lit her face in a warm, reverent glow.

“Nothing,” Alex lied. “Let’s get back to the groceries.”

///

Three boisterous boys cheered and grinned as they traipsed around on the dusty yet clean cobblestone path. A young woman in fine silk trappings passed by, her aquiline nose turned to the azure sky. From a café’s wooden doorway, a waiter called out, the sharp smell of black coffee wafting from behind him.

It had been a while since Alex had visited such a lively town. Life poured out from every corner, so unlike the lonely gloom from her days before allying with the Prince. There was no blood on the cobblestones, no neck destined for a blade. Though the peace was momentary—there was still strife within the Church, and the Agito to deal with—it was refreshing, nonetheless.

“Cabbages, carrots, tomatoes, apples...mayonnaise...” Elisanne muttered absentmindedly, clutching the slip of paper Cleo had given her.

“No meat?” Alex asked.

“Hmm...Oh, we need a few cuts of chicken, too.”

Salad for dinner, perhaps? Alex wasn’t particularly picky, but more meat would have been nice.

As they continued further into town, Alex found herself absentmindedly staring at Elisanne. Sleek blonde hair that captured the sunlight, a steady gait, a friendly smile—Alex’s heartbeat thumped slightly faster, as if her ribcage was but a prison and her heart was rattling its bony bars.

The murmuring of the townsfolk seemed to simmer down, leaving only the sounds of Elly’s heels clicking against the street. 

_Click, click._

_Thump, thump._

Alex never could quite pin down her feelings for Elly. There was comfort, from when Elly gave her a home. Warmth, from all the years spent together. Bitterness, from when Elisanne had left the Church, from the sting of what felt like betrayal. Acceptance, from their renewed trust and a new goal of peace.

And then there was this—something light and bubbly, an emotion captured in shades of yellow and pink, much like the bunny in the antique shop, sitting on its pedestal.

How her heart raced.

“...ex?”

Alex blinked. “Hm?”

Elisanne’s hand waved a few inches from her face. “Alex? We’re at the marketplace now—are you alright?”

For the second time today, Alex lied.

///

They talked as they picked out produce.

“It has been ever so stressful lately,” Elisanne muttered. She picked up a head of lettuce as big as her own head and inspected it.

“Work?” Alex dropped a firm, somewhat green tomato into the basket.

“Indeed...though I suppose I shouldn’t complain.”

Even while rifling through vegetables, Elisanne was radiant. She _was_ the Grand Paladyn, after all; but even before that, Alex’s thoughts couldn’t help but race when it came to her.

“Do you think Cleo would want some flowers, too?” 

Elly pointed to a nearby stall, full of vibrant arrangements of petals and leaves. A clump of daisies, a bouquet of roses, and a bunch of others she couldn’t quite recognize.

“Hm...She didn’t ask for any, but…” Flowers would liven up the dinner table; the children from the orphanage had been rather squeamish at the table as of late. “Do you have extra rupies on hand?”

Elisanne blinked. “Oh...um, I was planning to buy something…”

“Not to worry, then.”

The flowers swayed with the breeze. Alex tossed another tomato into the basket.

“Didn’t you once say there were different kinds of roses?”

“Hm?”

“A few weeks ago. You mentioned something about that book you were reading—the one about the knight, and the garden—”

Elly nearly dropped the lettuce. “D-don’t discuss that in public!” she stammered, face flushed.

“Apologies.” Alex couldn’t help but crack a smile. “But that reminded me...did you ever say something about different colored roses meaning certain things?”

“Hm…” She rocked on her heels. “They say red roses are the lover’s rose, while white roses are often known as bridal roses because of their association with purity...Pink roses make excellent thank-you gifts…”

Alex thought back to the bunny. “And what about yellow roses? If those exist.”

“I believe they stand for...jealousy?”

“...Ah.” Not a good accompaniment to her gift-to-be, then.

“Still, they’re lovely. I’ve seen a few before. They remind me of…um...”

Elly’s eyes darted about, and she reached out for an especially crisp-looking head of lettuce. “Oh, this one’s perfect!”

The way her eyes lit up as she spoke about the flowers was mesmerizing. Alex wished she could reach out, touch her, hold Elly in her arms.

For...safekeeping, of course.

She’d made a promise to safeguard her friend—Elly _was_ her friend, right?

Yes, definitely. Only a friend.

Alex knew this was the third lie today, but that wasn’t important.

///

“Meet you at the town square in an hour, alright?”

Elly, holding the bag with all the vegetables, walked off to who knows where. Alex was not one for window-shopping, unfortunately.

Still, the time alone was appreciated, for she did have _something_ to buy.

But first—she went back to the marketplace and bought a few more cuts of chicken. 

Salad was great, but considering the sheer population of those in the Halidom, what Cleo had requested would leave everyone (Alex included) with but one measly scrap of meat. She took care to leave enough money, of course.

Then—with a bag of cold, raw chicken fillets in one hand—she returned to the antique store, passing by happy faces and jolly townsfolk. It was not a very long walk, but every step seemed weighted with importance. 

As the shop came into view, Alex absentmindedly brushed her free hand against the wallet in her cloak. It was warm to the touch.

Should she wrap the plush? Put it in a box, tie it up with a bright blue bow? Or simply hand it over, and let her fingers meet Elisanne’s through the fluffy fur?

Perhaps the antique store had a gift-wrapping service. Approaching the glass, she peered through the window—

The pedestal was empty.

Alex blinked. She stared, forehead pressing against the glass, now cold. Surely, she was hallucinating. 

The pedestal remained empty.

“Dearie?” 

An elderly woman, the shopkeeper, opened the shop’s door and smiled apologetically, wrinkles creasing. “Are you looking for Miss Bunny?”

“I—yes.” Alex swallowed. “Did you take her for cleaning...or…”

“I’m afraid a young lass bought her just a few minutes ago.” She shook her head.

The sun seemed a lot less brighter.

“Oh,” was all Alex could manage.

Stepping forward, the shopkeeper frowned, concerned. The bells tied to the top of the wooden door jingled lightly, almost mockingly.

“Did you want to buy her, dearie?” asked the shopkeeper.

Alex shook her head.

“No,” she lied. Fourth time today.

//

Daffodils—almost the same shade of yellow as the plush toy. Though they wouldn’t make a very good friend for Matilda, nor did they have eyes as pink as the sunset’s sky, Elly might like them.

Alex had considered the roses, but given their meaning, it just seemed off-putting. What daffodils stood for, she did not know, but it couldn’t be worse.

She sat on a bench in the plaza, the bag of raw chicken to her left and the flowers to her right. Soon the sky would turn a murky blue, and the looming shadows would fade into normalcy.

A cold breeze swept through the town square, stirring a few dead leaves.

“Windy today, ain’t it!” one passerby chattered to his companion. A pigeon fluttered past.

Perhaps Alex shouldn’t have wasted time buying more meat. She stared morosely at the bag beside her, as if it was a fiend to be purged.

“Alex?”

Alex looked up. Elisanne waved at her from afar, two bags in her hand.

“Elly,” she replied, shuffling to the side to make room on the bench.

The faint scent of old wood lingered on Elisanne as she took a seat. “You bought flowers? How lovely! I’m sure they’d brighten up the dinner table.”

“Oh—no, they’re not—not for dinner.”

“Hm?” One eyebrow was raised. “Are they for the children, then?”

“I—um…”

No turning back now, Alex supposed. She unceremoniously shoved the bouquet into Elisanne’s lap.

“They’re for you,” she managed.

A few moments of silence passed.

If Elisanne’s jaw dropped any lower, it’d hit the bench seat.

“F-f-for me?”

Elly picked up the bouquet, cradling it in her arms like a newborn baby. Yellow against yellow. Her cheeks, flushed.

“I don’t know what they mean,” Alex quickly added. “but they looked nice, and you always did like cute things, so…I-if you don’t—”

“I love them!”

Elly beamed, and Alex’s heart leapt into her throat, as if to crawl out of her mouth and look upon Elisanne’s captivating demeanor. Tenderly caressing one petal, Elisanne met Alex’s eyes with complete sincerity.

“Thank you, truly, I...did not expect these. It’s a lovely gift.”

“Ah.” 

Alex, starstruck, gripped the edge of her cloak, as if to stop the world from spinning. “Don’t mention it. I suppose we should go back to the castle, now?”

“We should—oh! But, before that…”

Elisanne reached into the non-vegetable bag. She was about to show off a purchase, perhaps—a new romance book, or a wooden carving of Ilia?

Out came a familiar shade of yellow, which should’ve been on a marble pedestal in a little shop a few blocks away.

Alex, stunned, could only blink.

Elisanne placed the plush bunny onto Alex’s lap. “Have a little gift from me, too.”

“Oh,” was all Alex could say. 

“I saw you looking at it through the shop window, and I can’t blame you for wanting it! It’s so cute...Ahem.” 

Elisanne ran her hand through the petals of her own gift. “Besides...it kind of looks like you.”

“It does?” 

“Yellow fluff, crimson eyes...it’s like a mini-Alex,” giggled Elisanne. 

Crimson?

To Alex, they’d seemed as pink as a certain someone’s; but now, without the shop’s flickering candlelight and the marble pedestal, Alex saw that the rabbit’s eyes were indeed a deep red.

Where she had seen Elly, Elly had seen her.

“...Thank you, Elly,” Alex finally managed, after what seemed like a lifetime.

“And thank you as well, for the flowers.” She stood, still cradling the bouquet, bags in the other hand. “Shall we head back?”

Alex nodded.

Though the sun had finally set, and the sky was now the color of her hood, Alex could barely feel the night’s chill. Rather, as she walked side by side with her companion, warmth pulsed within her.

“She’d make a good friend for Matilda,” said Alex, still clutching her gift. It had seemed so distant through the glass window, on the pedestal; but now, in her hand, it was as if it had always been there.

“Oh! They do look quite alike,” Elisanne whispered back. “I’ll make sure she visits.”

Alex chuckled.

The moonlight caressed them both, illuminating the road ahead.

As they stepped on the dusty dirt path back to the Halidom, Elly asked, “Did you enjoy today?”

The stars twinkled in unison.

“I did.”

And that was the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> every time you leave kudos, elisanne gets kicked down the stairs in a box


End file.
